Vacuum-pump and air-compressor.



R. A. SALLBE.

VACUUM PUMP AND AIR COMPRESSOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1912.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLA MPH c( ASHINGT any desired length, and 2 are pistons having IT STATES ATENT GFF CE.

ROBERT A. SALLEE, OF MIDDLETOWN, CALIFORNIA.

VACUUM-PUMP AND AIR-COMPRESSOR.

Application filed April 17,

To all whom z'zf may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. Salman, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Middletown, in the county' ot Lake and State ot California, have invented new and usetul Improvements in Vacuum-Pumps and Air- Compressors, ot which the following 1s a speciiication.

My inventio-n relates to a vacuum producing o-r air compressing pump.

It consists in the combination ot parts and details ot construction which will be more tully explained by reterence to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section ot my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through X-X, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section through V-V, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ot one ot the pistons or plungers.

This invention is designed to move air in considerable quantities, either tor the purpose ot producing a vacuum and a ventilating current or to compress the air.

As shown in the drawings, A is a tube ot suitable rings to make tight joints and adapted to tit snugly in the tube.

3 represents the driving power, which, in the prese-nt case, is a pulley, but may be a motor ot any desired torm.

5 is a pulley having an endless rope or carrier which is in the present case iiXed upon the shatt ot the pulley 3, and 5a is a companion pulley jcurnaled in line and at the opposite end ot the apparatus. These pulleys are so located with relation to the tube A that a driving rope or carrier 6 passes around the pulleys the upper portion ot the rope trave-ling through the lower part ot the tube A and the other portion, atter passing around the pulleys, traveling beneath or in other suitable relation with said tube.

When the apparatus is in motion, the pistons 2, which are suitably interspaced, will eventually pass through the cylinder A, thence exterior to it will pass around the pulley 5, thence below the opposite side ot the tube A and again returned around the pulley 5a.

The mouth ot the tube through which the pistons enter is made divergent, as shown at 7, so as to insure the pistons properly entering. Within the tube are hinged litters S which carry closing abutments 9. The upper portion ot the tube is tormed with raised spaces or channels 10 Within which the litt- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

1912. Serial No. 691,383.

ers 8 are pivoted, and in line with the abutments 9 are vertically disposed closed chambers and guides 11 into which the abutments may rise. As shown, these abutments are carried upon the lower ends ot the inclined litters 8, and when a piston arrives at either ot these litters it strikes it on an angle and torces it up into the inclosing space 1() above, so that the piston may pass treely and without undue triction o-r impediment; at the same time the abutment 9 will be litted into this chamber and the piston will be tree to pass.

As soon as the piston has passed the abutment the latter drops by gravitation, spring pressure or otherwise and closes the tube A behind the piston. The piston continuing its movement will then produce a vacuum more or less complete between its rear end and the nearest abutment 9 which is closed, as betere described. The abutments are .vedge shaped so as to insure proper seating. In order to avail myselt ot this vacuum, it may be employed to draw air or gas trom any desired point. In the present case I have shown a tube 12 opening into the cylinder A contiguous to an abutment 9, so that atter the piston has passed this abutment and continues its movement, the vacuum which it tends to produce will draw air in through this passage 12. It the passage connects with the tace ot a mining tunnel, or other point where there is liable to be toul air, it will be seen that this toul air will be constantly drawn through the tube A with a velocity depending upon the diiterence between its diameter and that ot the tube A in which the piston travels. Thus with a small conductor 12 it will be seen that the travel through it will be very considerable when the piston is many times its diameter. There may be as many ot these connections as is tound desirable within the length ot the tube A, and the exhausting process may be repeated atter the piston has passed either set ot abutments 9.

In order to suitably connect the piston with the rope 6, I have shown at the rear a diagonal brace, as at 18, the upper end ot which is suitably connected with the rear ot the piston, and the lower end is clamped or otherwise tastened to the rope, as indicated at 14.

It is also necessary that the piston and traveling parts be maintained in proper relation with the interior ot the tube and not allowed to turn around therein. I have, therefore, shown a groove or channel plate l5, extending through the bottom of the tube A and having a groove in it adapted to receive the rope 6.

The pistons 2 have a notch 16 formed in the lower part which fits snugly over and slides upon the plate or bar l5, thus maintaining the pistons always in proper relation with the other operative parts.

If the device is to be used as a compressor, it will only be necessary to connect the pipes 12a with the housings 10 so that the diaphragms 9 being closed in advance of the piston the movement of the piston will compress and drive a volume of air through the tube A which will be conducted away through the pipes 12a.

It will be possible for this apparatus to be utilized either as a vacuum pump or air compressor or the two operations might be carried on simultaneously by the arrangement of the tubes as herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In an apparatus for producing a vacuum and compressing air, the combination of a tube having an upper portion extended at points to form inclosed chambers which communicate with the interior of the tube, lifters in the tube one in advance of the other and each having one end pivotally mounted in said chambers, and adapted to close thereinto, said extended portions of the Lipper portion of the tube having at one end vertically disposed inclosed guides open from below, abutments slidably mounted in said guides having lower ends supported on the forward free ends of the lifters, an endless traveling carrier operable in the tube with its upper run traveling over the lower inner surface of the tube, pistons connected to the carrier and operable through the tube and adapted to engage said litters, and fluid conductors connecting with the tube contiguous to said sliding abutments.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a tube and an endless rope operable therethrough, of pistons carried by the rope, said pistons each having a rearwardly -extending brace fixed to the rope, each of said pistons having a notch in the lower portion to admit the rope, and said tube having a plate secured centrally along its bottom slidably fitting said notches and maintaining the pistons in proper position, said plate having a lengthwise extending channel in which the rope is guided.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT A. SALLEE.

Vitnesses JOHN H. HERRING, GENEVIEVE S. DONELIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

